Dominican Republic Fact File

Get Your Free Dominican Republic Report Today!

Learn more about the Dominican Republic and other countries in our daily postcard e-letter. Simply enter your email address below and we'll send you a FREE REPORT - Dominican Republic: The "Fairest Land Under Heaven" Gives Tax incentives to Retiring Expats.

Your email address

International Living Magazine

If money were no object, what would your dream retirement look like?

Each month, we delve into the details you need to take action. We share our contacts. We lay out the pluses and minuses. And we keep you up-to-date on the latest developments in the best overseas havens.

Location: The Dominican Republic makes up the eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean. Haiti makes up the remaining third of the island.

Area: 18,791 square miles (48,670 square kilometers). Slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire.

Population: 10,606,865

Capital: Santo Domingo

Geography: The Dominican Republic is a country with many mountains, and the highest peaks of the West Indies are found here. It is also home to a series of long rivers and the largest lake in the West Indies, Lake Enriquillo.

Climate: The Dominican Republic has a tropical maritime climate with little seasonal temperature variation. The northern coast of the country has a rainy season from November to January, while the rest of the country experiences a rainy season from May to November.

Government: The Dominican Republic operates under a Democratic Republic. It has three separate branches: Executive, Judicial, and Legislative (made up of a 178-member Chamber of Deputies, and a 32-member Senate).

Head of State and Government: President Danilo Medina Sanchez (since 16 August 2012). The President is elected directly by the people. They are allowed to hold office for two consecutive terms, and cannot run again after that time. A presidential term lasts for four years.

Language: Spanish is the official language of the Dominican Republic.

Religions: A huge majority of the Dominican Republic’s population identify as Roman Catholic (95%), while the other 5% follow other religions.